The Scoobies: The Santa Experience
by boop-oop-ee-doo
Summary: Buffy-fied Rugrats. When Cordelia plays a cruel prank on Xander & Anya, she must make amends by Christmas Eve to avoid Santa's naughty list. Meanwhile, Buffy, Willow, and Tara hatch a plan to catch Santa, to prove whether he is good or bad.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy, or Rugrats.

* * *

><p>We see a replica of Santa's workshop, covered in snow, complete with elves and a plastic reindeer.<p>

"First, it get's really cold" said a familiar voice.

A man scattered artificial snow around a Christmas display.

"Then, the g-growed ups start acting r-real nice, and smiling all the t-time" another voice stuttered.

The voices belonged to Willow Rosenberg and Tara Maclay, who were talking to their friend, Buffy Summers, while they waited in line with their parents for something. Buffy's older cousin, Cordelia, was waiting a few places ahead of them.

"But that's still not the worstest part!" Willow continued. "One night, _he _comes."

"Who comes?" asked Buffy, confused.

"The sc-scariest g-guy in the world!" said Tara, before she and Willow leaned in, whispering ominously.

"Santa Claus!"

"Willow, Tara, you guys can't be afraid of Santa!" Buffy giggled. "He's fat and jolly and brings you presents!"

"That's not what I heard" said Willow nervously.

Up the front of the line, a worker dressed as an elf appeared from Santa's workshop.

"Okay, who's next to see Santa?" asked the elf with a smile.

"Me, me, me!" shrieked Cordelia, pushing to the front of the line and running past the elf, before leaping into Santa's lap.

"Ho, ho, ho!" Santa chuckled. "And how are you today, little.."

"Cordelia" Cordelia grinned, batting her eyelashes.

"Cordelia" Santa smiled, "Why don't you tell old Santa Claus what you want for Christmas?"

"Well, I want a Luxurious Hair Harmony doll.."

"Of course! And if you're a good little girl.."

"A 'Teenage Nuclear Fusion Squad' video game.."

"Well.."

"A Mr X exploding smash-up doll, a 'Beverly Hills Harmony' lunchbox, a pony, a 9-1-1 surgical kit with working stethoscope.."

"That's an awful lot of presents.." Santa frowned.

"I'm not finished yet!" Cordy screamed. She took a breath and continued. "But the biggest and most importantest thing I want is a Deluxe Harmony Beach House with real working hot tub, satellite dish, entertainment center and attatched garage."

"Gee, that's a pretty long list of toys, Cordelia" said Santa. "I don't know if Santa can.."

"Hang on" said Cordy, eyes narrowing in suspicion. "If you're really Santa, how come you don't know this stuff already?"

"Well.." said Santa nervously.

"You're not the real Santa Claus!" cried Cordelia, eyes widening as she ripped off his beard. "You're a PHONY!" she shrieked, bolting into the crowd of children. "Santa Claus is a FAKE! Run for your lives!"

Buffy, Willow, and Tara gasped. Cordelia's Father, Carl, looked horrified.

* * *

><p>Later, back at Buffy's house, Cordelia ripped open a box of toys she had been given so her parents wouldn't sue the Mall.<p>

"Wow!" said Buffy's friends, Xander and Anya, in unison.

"Where'd you get that neat box of toys?" asked Anya.

"From Santa Claus" Cordy replied nonchalantly.

"I thought he only gave you stuff for Christmas" said Xander, confused.

"Nah, you've just gotta know how to work him" Cordy smirked. Hank, Ira, and Carl entered the house, Carl carrying another box of 'Please Don't Sue' toys from the store.

"Can you imagine how upset Cordelia must be, finding out that department store Santa was a fake?" asked Carl, distressed.

"She doesn't look too upset to me" said Hank, watching his grinning nice tear through the box.

"Yeah, the manager gave her nearly every toy in the store" said Ira.

"Do you really think toys can compensate for what she's been through?" cried Carl as they headed into the Kitchen. "She may be traumatised for life!"

"Hey, this is just a bunch of junk!" Cordelia pouted, pulling a teddy bear from the box and tossing it aside. "They didn't give me any of the stuff I wanted!"

"Then can we have it?" asked Anya, picking up the teddy bear.

"No" Cordy scoffed, snatching the teddy back and throwing it in the box before hauling it away.

* * *

><p>"Even if she is traumatised for life, Carl, she'll still have a better Christmas than I ever had" said Ira, continuing the adults earlier conversation. Buffy's Mother, Joyce, Xander's Mother, Jessica, and Hank and Carl's cousin, Giles, were also present.<p>

"What do you mean, Ira?" Joyce frowned. "Didn't you ever have a special dinner, with family and presents?"

"I was brought up Jewish, so we didn't celebrate Christmas" Ira sighed. "But Willow's Mother used to love Christmas. I don't want to ruin it for her."

"I just wish I could do something to renew Cordelia's faith in Santa" said Carl sadly.

"Hey, I know!" Jessica grinned. "Let's rent a place in the mountains and do it all upnice, have a real white Christmas."

"What a great idea!" said Hank excitedly. "We can chop down our own tree, and sing Carols, and open up our presents there on Christmas morning!"

"I'll call the travel agent and get a cabin" said Joyce, heading for the phone.

"I'll go pack up some lights and ornaments" said Hank, heading for the basement.

"I'll drink a couple of quarts of egg nog and fall asleep in front of the TV!" chuckled Giles, heading for the fridge.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Cordelia sat on the floor with her boxof toys, disappointed.<p>

"Just my luck, I get a whole bunch of toys, and not one of them is any fun" she pouted. "What am I gonna do with a dumb box of crayons? And what's this?" she pulled out a space helmet, with some spikes at the top to accomadate the spiky hair of the toy it was made for. "An Angel space helmet? Just great! Cordy scowled.

* * *

><p>"I'm telling you Buffy, that Santa's a bad guy!" said Willow seriously, sitting in the playpen with Buffy and Tara.<p>

"He's always w-watching you, keeping track of everything you d-do" said Tara, sounding nervous.

"And then in the middle of the night, he breaks into your house with a big bag of who knows what!" Willow cried, throwing her arms in the air.

"But guys, he's got presents in that bag" Buffy frowned, becoming confused by the two very different versions of Santa she had heard about.

"Sure, that's what he wants you to think" said Willow, crossing her arms.

* * *

><p>Still sulking, Cordelia looked around and spotted Xander, sitting alone, looking troubled. This was unusual, as he was usually always with Anya, and not at all troubled. So, Cordy decided to investigate, dragging her box of toys with her.<p>

"What's the matter with you?"

"Oh, nothin'" said Xander with a sigh, clutching his favourite Angel action figure. "I just can't figure out what to give Anya for Christmas."

"Really?" Cordy grinned evilly, thinking of a way to get rid of her unwanted toys, and have a little fun at the same time. "What if you gave her something for her favourite colouring book, like, maybe, crayons?"

"Yeah!" Xander's face lit up, but quickly drooped. "But where am I gonna get a great present like that?"

"Right here" Cordy smirked, pulling the crayons out of the box.

"Gee, thanks Cordelia!" Xander grinned, reaching for them.

"Not so fast" said Cordy, jerking the crayons just out of his reach. "You can have them, but it's gonna cost ya."

"Cost me?"

"Not a lot" said Cordelia innocently. "Just your Angel doll."

"My Angel doll?" cried Xander, hugging it to his chest. "But it's my favouritest toy ever!"

"Oh well, can't say I didn't try" Cordy shrugged, dragging the box away.

"Wait!" Xander called after her. He gave the doll one last hug, then held it out to Cordelia. "Okay, for Anya. She's my bestest friend." Cordy took the doll, then placed the crayons in Xander's hand. Xander sighed, walking away.

"Oh it doesn't get any better than this!" Cordelia cackled. She heard a small sigh, and spotted Anya sitting a short distance away, also alone, and also toubled. An unpleasant grin spread over Cordy's face. "Then again, maybe it does."

* * *

><p>Joyce was still trying to book a cabin for the gang to spend Christmas in.<p>

"I know we're cutting it a little close" she said into the phone, "But don't you have anything?" Joyce listened to the voice on the other end of the line. "No" she sighed, "I don't think Tijuana's the right location.."

* * *

><p>"Poor Cordelia. Christmas is ruined forever" said Carl sadly as he and Ira sat outside, moping.<p>

"Poor Willow. I wish there was something I could do to make Christmas extra special" Ira sighed. The men thought for a moment, before their faces lit up.

"I know!" they cried in unison.

"You first" said Ira graciously.

"No, you" said Carl.

"Well, I was thinking that I could dress up as Santa, and come down the chimney on Christmas Eve" Ira explained. "The kids will hear me, come down, and catch a glimpse of old St. Nick!"

"That's exactly what I was thinking" said Carl.

"You were?"

"Of course, we wouldn't have you as Santa. We'll hire a Professional."

"What's wrong with me?" said Ira, mildly insulted. "I'm a good actor. Remember our 4th grade play? I got the title role in 'Wind In The Willows'."

"Ira, you were a tree."

"I was the Willow!"

* * *

><p>"Hi Anya, watcha doing?" asked Cordelia as she reached the little girl, her box in tow. "Trying to figure out what to give Xander for Christmas?"<p>

"Yeah" Anya looked up, surprised. "How'd you know?"

"I'm your friend, I know these things" Cordy grinned. "Now think for a minute, what's Xander's favouritest toy in the whole world?"

"His building blocks?" said Anya.

"No, think again."

"His pop-up book?"

"No, one more time."

"His stuffed crocagator with the missing eye?"

"No!" yelled Cordelia, annoyed. "His Angel doll!"

"Oh yeah" said Anya.

"Now, what could you give him to make his Angel doll to make it even better.

"A Spike doll to be his friend?"

"No."

"An 'Angel On Ice' sing-a-long CD?"

"No."

"I know, an Angel surfboard!"

"No!" Cordy yelled again. "An Angel space helmet, dummy!"

"That's a great idea, Cordelia! But where am I gonna get an Angel space helmet?"

"Well.."

* * *

><p>Soon after, Cordy was chuckling evilly as she clutched Anya's favourite coloring book in her hands.<p>

"What a great trick, Harmony" she said to the doll. "Xander's gonna get an Angel space helmet for Christmas, but he doesn't have his Angel doll! Anya's gonna get crayons, but she doesn't have her colouring book!" she chuckled evilly. "Oh, I'm bad, Harmony, I'm real bad!"

* * *

><p>"He's bad Buffy, real bad!" said Willow, still trying to convince her friend of the evils of Santa Claus.<p>

"Willow, Tara" Buffy sighed, playing with her blocks, "I keep telling you, he's nice!"

"I just wish I could catch him to show ya" Willow mumbled.

"Willow, that's it!" cried Buffy, a familiar dangerous glint in her eye.

"Uh-oh" said Tara.

"But I was only joking!" Willow yelped. "I don't want to catch him!"

At that moment, Giles entered the room, sitting down in his favourite arm chair.

"Gather around, children" he called. "I want to tell you about Santa Claus!"

Willow, Tara, and Buffy gasped, then ran to join Xander, Anya, and Cordelia, already sitting at Giles' feet.

"Now" Giles began, "Maybe you've heard people say he isn't real, just a fairy tale. Well, it's not the truth. St. Nick is as real as you or me.

"Wow" The Scoobies gasped.

"I've seen him with my own eyes" Giles continued, cleaning his glasses.

"Really?" said Cordy in awe.

"Yes" Giles replied, before leaning in close to the kids. "Here's the point of my story. You see, Santa may be old, but he's as sharp as a toothpick! If you've been bad, you won't get that special doll you wanted.."

Cordy's eyes widened.

"Or that fine looking electric train.."

Willow whimpered, hiding behind Buffy and Tara.

"Instead, all you'll get is a great, big, ugly lump of coal!" Giles warned, before leaning back in his chair and laughing. "Of course, none of this applies to you children, you've all been good as gold!"

"Sure.." Cordelia chuckled nervously.

"Good news, everyone" cried Joyce excitedly as she rushed into the room. "We got a cabin!"

* * *

><p>That night, a very worried Cordelia lay in bed while her Father tucked her in.<p>

"Daddy?" she asked.

"Yes, sweetheart?" said Carl.

"Is it true that if you're a bad little kid Santa Claus will give you a lump of coal instead of presents?"

"Sure is, Pumpkin. Sweet dreams." Carl switched off the lights, then left the room.

Cordy gulped, then shook her head, pulling Harmony out from under the covers.

"I don't care what they say, Harmony" she whispered to the doll. "That Santa guy cant possibly know about the trick I played on Xander and Anya. Can he? Can he?" Panicking for a moment, she shook the doll, before calming herself down. "Of course not." Cordelia yawned, falling back against her pillows. "That was a great trick" she said as she drifted off. "Great trick... Dumb old Santa.. can't know.."

* * *

><p>In what seemed like an instant, she was wide awake again, leaping from the bed.<p>

"It's Christmas!" she cried, rushing downstairs to find what seemed to be millions of presents stuffed under the tree. "Oh boy, presents!"

"And they're all for you, Princess" Carl grinned.

Cordy beamed, ripping open the first present to find..

"Coal?" Cordy yelped. She opened another one. "Coal!" And another. "Coal!" And three more. "Coal, coal, coal! It can't be, it just cant be! Santa's just a smelly old guy in red pyjamas, there's no way he could have known!"

"Oh, but I do" said a voice from behind her. Cordelia turned, gasping when she saw a very sinister looking Santa Claus. "I know everything" he continued. "Xander got a new Angel doll. Anya got a new coloring book. And what did _you_ get?" Santa laughed, burying Cordelia with the contents of a sack of coal.

"No!" she cried. "No, no.."

* * *

><p>"NO!" Cordelia jolted awake. Carl rushed in, switching on the light.<p>

"What happened Sweetie?"

"Daddy, Daddy, what day is it?" Cordy cried desperately, grabbing his shirt as he approached the bed. "Is it Christmas?"

"No Honey, not yet" Carl yawned.

"Then there's still time" she said under her breath. "Daddy, I gotta find Xander and Anya."

"You'll see them later today when we go up to the Mountains" said Carl, switching off the light and heading back to his own room. "For now, why don't you get some sleep while it's still dark, okay?"

"Hear that, Harmony?" Cordy whispered to the doll as soon as Carl was out of earshot. "We gotta switch Xander and Anya's presents back, before it's too late!"

* * *

><p>AN: Uh-oh! Will Cordy fix everything in time? Find out in part 2, coming soon!<p> 


	2. Christmas At The Cabin

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy, or 'Rugrats'

* * *

><p>The next day, a Mini-Van, driven by Hank, carried the Scoobies and their families along the winding mountain road to their cabin, with the adults singing Carols as they went.<p>

_"Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way! Oh what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh!"_

* * *

><p>Before long, the van pulled up outside the Cabin, and everyone piled out. The Scoobies were left inside, under the care of Giles, while the other adults unpacked the luggage.<p>

Xander and Anya sat playing together innocently, when Cordy pounced on them.

"Hiya, Xander, Hiya Anya" she grinned, slinging an arm around each of their shoulders.

"What did we do?" Anya yelped.

"Whatever it is, we're sorry!" Xander cried.

"You didn't do anything!" said Cordelia quickly. "I just thought I could do you two a favor."

"What kind of favor?" asked Xander suspiciously.

"Well.."

"There you two are!" Jessica chuckled, scooping Xander and Anya into her arms, before heading back outside. "Anya, your Daddy's letting me take you with Xander and me to cut down you kids' first Christmas tree!"

"Rats!" Cordy scowled.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure you want to catch Santa, Buffy?" asked Willow nervously, sitting with her two best friends at Giles' feet.<p>

"Yeah, m-maybe'll just l-leave us alone" said Tara.

"Don't worry, he's nice" said Buffy, rolling her eyes. "Now come on, we've gotta check a whole lot of places to set Santa traps."

And so, they set of through the house.

"Doggie door?" asked Buffy as they passed.

"Check" said Willow with a nod.

"Diney room windows?"

"Ch-Check" Tara stuttered.

"Chimley.."

"Chimley?" cried Willow and Tara in disbelief.

"Yeah, I guess you're right" Buffy agreed as they continued onwards. "No-one in their right mind would try to come down a chimley.."

* * *

><p>In the kitchen, the adults were starting to prepare Christmas dinner for the following day, and some to be eaten that night. Cordelia's Mother Candice multi-tasked, stirring a pot while also talking to her assistant on her cellphone.<p>

"Listen up Robert, I am tired of these endless justifications!"

Cordy dashed in, tugging on Candice's skirt.

"Mommy, can I go chop down a tree with Aunt Joyce?"

"Of course honey, have fun!" Candice smiled sweetly before returning to her conversation. "Now Robert.." She was again interrupted when Hank approached with a pile of ingredients.

"Candice, it's so nice that you could finally get away from work to spend the holidays with us" he smiled.

"Well, it is Christmas, the season of love and joy... I don't care Robert, we have to crush the competition, and crush them now!"

* * *

><p>"I've got the axe!" Jessica announced, setting said axe by the door.<p>

"And I've got the permit" Joyce smiled. "Now we just have to get the kids into their winter outfits and we'll be ready to go!"

"As soon as we get on the sled, we'll be able to talk" Cordy whispered to Xander and Anya.

The duo glanced at each other nervously.

* * *

><p>Unfortunately, they didn't get to talk on the sled, because Cordelia's mouth was muffled by the oversized scarf that Joyce had made her wear. Joyce and Jessica pulled the sled to a stop among the field of pine trees atop a large, snowy hill.<p>

"How about this one?" asked Jessica, pointing to the first tree.

"No, too small" said Joyce.

"How about that one?" Jessica pointed at another.

"No" Joyce repeated after she had examined it. "Not enough branches in the back."

"Come on, Joyce" said Jessica, annoyed. She knew her friend was a perfectionist, and this could take forever if she let her be too picky. "A tree's a tree, just pick one."

Joyce looked around, eyes lighting up as they fell on an admittedly fine-looking tree.

"Look at this one! That's it! It's exactly the right size, the perfect shape! Isn't it cute?"

"Good choice, Joyce" Jessica smiled, raising the axe. "Now stand back."

"What are you doing?" Joyce cried.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Jessica frowned. "I'm going to cut it down."

"Oh no you don't!" cried Joyce, stepping protectively in front of it. "Not this tree!"

Jessica lowered the axe, sighing.

While the two adults searched for a tree that wasn't too perfect to cut down, Xander and Anya played in the snow nearby. Cordelia, sitting on the sled, seized her chance.

"Can I talk to you guys for a second?"

"Sure" said Xander.

"About what?" said Anya warily.

"Presents" Cordelia grinned.

Xander and Anya looked confused. Cordy continued anyway.

"See, it all started when the first present was given by the pilgrims a long long time ago. Since then, everybody started giving presents. Even the Easter Bunny was giving them until Santa slapped him with a lawsuit." She stood up on the sled's edge. "So, what I'm trying to say is.." Unfortunately for Cordy, the change in weight due to her standing sent the sled sliding backwards down the hill, and the now screaming three-year old flying into a snow drift at the bottom.

"Are you okay, Cordelia?" Anya called.

Cordy dug her way out of the snow, scowling.

* * *

><p>Joyce and Jessica had been unable to choose a tree, so they had gone into town to pick up an artificial one, which Jessica and Hank were now unpacking.<p>

Giles was nailing everybody's stocking's to the fire place. He accidently missed and hammered his thumb, yelping.

Buffy, Willow, and Tara, beginning to set their Santa traps, set a yule log in front of the doggie door.

Jessica, Ira, and most of the other adults started decorating the tree.

Xander tried to eat the string of popcorn that was supposed to go on the tree. Cordelia walked up to try and talk to him, but Jessica picked him up and carried him away. Cordy pouted.

Buffy tied one end of another popcorn string around a door handle, while Willow tied the other end around a chair leg.

Cordelia turned her attention to Anya, until D'Hoffryn took her away too. Cordelia groaned in frustration.

"Dinner!" Joyce called, poking her head out from the kitchen

* * *

><p>The families sat at a long dining table, eating an array of Christmas-y food.<p>

"Do you think those traps will work, Buffy?" asked Willow, sitting ona booster seat between Tara and Buffy at the end of the table.

"Willow, you worry too much" Buffy giggled.

Giles was having some difficulties eating due to his bandaged thumb. Oz nudged his leg under the table. Giles tried to shoo him, and the dog whimpered. Giles sighed, then offered the dog a small piece of turkey. It was Christmas, after all.

Candice was still on the phone.

"Tell them to remove paragraph 3 and replace it with a Santa Clause.. I mean a SANITY clause."

"Aunt Joyce" said Cordelia nervously, "'Spose a kid tried to make up for something bad they did, but they couldn't fix it. Would Santa still bring them a lump of coal?"

"Oh Cordelia, you're such a good little girl" Joyce laughed. "I don't know why you have so many questions about bad children."

At the end of the table, Buffy, Willow, and Tara yawned.

"Aww, look at that" Hank smiled.

"Time to put the young'uns to bed" said Jessica, standing up.

"Oh no!" Cordy gasped.

* * *

><p>The sleepy Scoobies were placed in their crib, and soon drifted off into the land of dreams.. Well, most of them.<p>

Buffy cracked one eye open to look around, sitting up when the coast was clear.

"Willow, Tara" she whispered, shaking her friends slightly.

The drowsy two year olds reluctantly sat up.

"Must st-stay awake.." Tara stuttered sleepily.

"Must stay awake.." Willow echoed. A few seconds later, both were drifting off again.

"Willow! Tara!" Buffy yelled.

"What?" They yelped, startling awake.

"W-What is it?" Tara cried.

"Is Santa here?" Willow panicked.

"No, you almost falled asleep.." Buffy paused, glancing over at her other friends, who were currently dead to the world. "Oh no, Xander and Anya are asleep! I guess it's just gonna be.." She heard some soft snoring. "Guys?" she turned to find Willow and Tara fast asleep. "Well, um, I guess it's just gonna be me." Buffy sat for a few minutes, then laid back on her pillow as her eyelids began to droop. "Maybe I'll just make myself comfy while I wait.."

* * *

><p><em>"Joy to the world, the Lord has come! Let Earth receive their King!" <em>The adults sang.

Except for Candice, who was _still _on the phone.

"Listen, one thing I've learned in life is to be a self-starter. Everything I am today, I've made myself!"

As the other adults continued to sing, Ira crept away, chuckling.

Cordelia walked by with Harmony, looking defeated.

"Oh Harmony, why did I do it?" she asked the doll sadly. "Why did I take Xander's Angel doll? Why did I take Anya's coloring book?"

* * *

><p>In another room, Ira admired himself in the Santa suit he had hired.<p>

"Wait 'til they get a load of this!" he grinned. As Carl had not discussed it any more with him, Ira assumed that he had decided not to hire a professional Santa, so he had gone ahead with his own plan. But..

* * *

><p>Carl had broken away from the group too, to make a sneaky phone call.<p>

"Hello, is this the 'Santa Experience'? Carl Chase, just calling to confirm the Santa act I booked for tonight.. Great!"

* * *

><p>Cordelia walked into the lounge room, where Giles had fallen asleep.<p>

"I tried to be good, Harmony" she sighed. "I really tried.."

_"The holidays can be a depressing time" _said a voice from the TV.

"You said it" Cordy pouted.

_"Don't let this very special time of year become a nightmare for you. Call 1800-666-YULE, and talk to someone who cares."_

Cordy grinned, rushing to the phone and dialling a number.

"666-6666!"

* * *

><p>Far away, in an evil law firm in Los Angeles, a slightly scruffy man answered the phone.<p>

"Wolfram & Heart, Lindsey McDonald speaking."

_"Hi" _came Cordy's voice from the other end of the line. _"May I speak to Santa Claus please?"_

"Huh?" said Lindsey, confused.

_"I need to talk to Santa, it's really important."_

"Listen kid, I think you've got the wrong.."

_"LET ME TALK TO SANTA!"_

"Okay, geez!" Lindsey yelled. He paused before speaking again, voice altered slightly. "Hello, this is Santa Claus."

_"Hi Santa. It's Cordelia."_

"Of course, Cordelia" said Lindsey, trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice.

_"I just wanted to check if I was on the good list or the bad list this year."_

"Okay let me just check with one of my elves.." Lindsey paused, smirking. "Oh yes, you're on the BAD list."

* * *

><p>Cordy's face fell as she hung up.<p>

"It's over, Harmony" she said to her doll. "My future as a kid is over."

* * *

><p>Outside, Ira had somehow found his way onto the roof, puffing towards the Chimney.<p>

"Boy, Santa must be fit."

* * *

><p>Hank carried a load of presents inside, but tripped on the string of popcorn that Buffy had tied up, crashing to the ground.<p>

* * *

><p>Upstairs, all five Scoobies startled awake.<p>

"Willow, our traps!" Buffy cried. The kids scrambled out of there crib and rushed downstairs, but only found Hank gathering up the dropped presents.

"It was only your Dad, Buffy" said Willow, relieved. "Boy, for a minute there I was getting really scared.

"Yeah" Tara agreed. "I thought it was S-Santa. I'm g-glad it was only.." She and Willow froze when a dark figure dropped into the fireplace.

"It's him!" They yelped.

Buffy, thinking quickly, jammed the fireplace shut with a poker.

"What are we going to do, Buffy?" Willow cried. "What are we going to do?"

"Help!" the figure cried. Hank, recognising the voice as Ira's hurried to his friends rescue. Santa-Ira stumbled out, covered in soot. The Scoobies screamed, running off in all directions. "Willow!" he cried. "Willow, wait!"

Willow cowered in a corner with Tara.

"Girls, don't be scared" Ira crouched before them, removing his hat and beard and using them to wipe the soot from his face. "It's just.. me."

Willow gave a little squeal of relief, throwing herself into her Father's arms.

"That's not Santa" Xander frowned.

"It's just Willow's Dad" said Buffy.

"There is no Santa!" cried Cordelia hopefully. "I'm saved!"

There came a knock at the door, and Giles opened it to reveal..

"Santa" Giles smiled.

Cordy gulped.

"Little trouble with the chimney, hmm?" Santa chuckled.

"Oh, Santa" said Carl in an overly cheerful tone. "Won't you come in?"

Santa entered, heading straight for the children.

"Merry Christmas, Buffy, Xander, Anya" he smiled, handing each of them a gift. "Isn't it past your bed time?" He chuckled before moving on. "Merry Christmas, Willow, Merry Christmas, Tara" He gave them their presents, bgefore gently ruffling their hair. "Do you two still think I'm so scary?" Willow and Tara giggled. Finally, Santa approached Cordelia, who bowed her head. "Cordelia" he smirked, handing her a rather large parcel. Cordy gasped, quickly tearing it open.

"A Deluxe Harmony Beach House with real working hot tub, sattellite dish, entertainment center and attatched garage!" she cried joyfully. "I _didn't _get a lump of coal!"

"Sometimes, _trying _to be good is as important as actually being good in the first place" said Santa Claus wisely.

Cordy nodded, smiling.

"Well, I should be going" said Santa, slinging his sack back over his shoulder and heading for the door. "There's another 900 million children on my list. See you next year!" With that, he left.

"Well, since it's almost morning anyway, why don't we all open our presents?" Joyce suggested.

* * *

><p>Buffy got a spinning top.<p>

Willow and Tara received matching teddy bears, although Willow's had a red tuft of fur atop it's head, while Tara's had blonde.

Xander and Anya decided to exchange their gifts to each other before opening the ones from Santa.

"Gee, thanks Anya" said Xander, face falling as he opened his gift. "An Angel Space Helmet.."

"A box of crayons.." said Anya sadly.

"What's wrong, Anya?" Xander frowned.

"I gave.." she sighed, "Never mind."

Xander's eyes widened.

"You mean you.."

"Did you trade your Angel doll just to get me these crayons?" Anya cried in realisation.

"And you traded your Coloring Book to get me the Angel Space Helmet!" Xander gasped.

"Thanks!" they cried in unison, hugging.

"Ahem" behind them, Cordelia cleared her throat, before handing them each a present.

They opened them, confused.

"My Angel doll!" said Xander happily.

"My Coloring Book!" Anya grinned.

"Thanks, Cordelia!" they cried, hugging the older girl.

"Eew, baby germs!" Cordy giggled

Buffy, Willow, and Tara played on the floor nearby.

"You know what, Buffy?" said Willow, "You were right."

"Yeah" said Tara. "Santa isn't such a bad g-guy after all."

"Told ya" said Buffy proudly.

Ira and Carl were having a similar conversation.

"Carl, you were right. It was better to get a professional Santa."

"Am I ever wrong?" Carl grinned smugly. At that moment, the phone rang, and Carl answered it. "Hello, Carl Chase."

* * *

><p>On the other end of the phoneline, wearing a robe and gathering food from a refridgerator, was a man named Ethan Rayne.<p>

"Mr. Chase? It's Ethan Rayne, from The Santa Experience. My car skidded off the road and I won't be able to make it tonight to do the Santa thing. Can we reschedule?"

_"What do you mean you can't make it?"_ came Carl's angry voice from the other end of the line.

Ethan rolled his eyes, hanging up and slumping in his recliner.

"I hate Christmas."

* * *

><p>"What was that about?" Ira asked.<p>

"The guy I hired to play Santa can't make it, he.." Carl's eyes suddenly widened.

"If your guy couldn't make it, then who was that?" said Ira, confused.

Sleigh bells rang in the distance.

Cordelia was happily playing with her new Harmony Beach House.

"What a cool house!" she grinned. "I wonder if there's a car in the attatched garage. She opened it, and gasped at what she found inside.

"Cordelia" said Joyce, puzzled. "Is that a lump of coal?"

* * *

><p>Outside, Santa and his reindeer flew over the roof of the cabin.<p>

"Ho, ho, ho! Merry Christmas!"

* * *

><p>AN: Sorry this is so late. I was sick in the week leading up to Christmas, and my family hosted Christmas lunch and an NYE party, so I haven't had a lot of time.<p> 


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